BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by radical surgery has been a common practice for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, but the response rate varies among patients. This study aimed to develop a ResNet-Vision Transformer based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-endoscopy fusion model to precisely predict treatment response and provide personalized treatment. METHODS: In this multicenter study, 366 eligible patients who had undergone neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by radical surgery at eight Chinese tertiary hospitals between January 2017 and June 2024 were recruited, with 2928 pretreatment colonic endoscopic images and 366 pelvic MRI images. An MRI-endoscopy fusion model was constructed based on the ResNet backbone and Transformer network using pretreatment MRI and endoscopic images. Treatment response was defined as good response or non-good response based on the tumor regression grade. The Delong test and the Hanley-McNeil test were utilized to compare prediction performance among different models and different subgroups, respectively. The predictive performance of the MRI-endoscopy fusion model was comprehensively validated in the test sets and was further compared to that of the single-modal MRI model and single-modal endoscopy model. RESULTS: The MRI-endoscopy fusion model demonstrated favorable prediction performance. In the internal validation set, the area under the curve (AUC) and accuracy were 0.852 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.744-0.940) and 0.737 (95% CI: 0.712-0.844), respectively. Moreover, the AUC and accuracy reached 0.769 (95% CI: 0.678-0.861) and 0.729 (95% CI: 0.628-0.821), respectively, in the external test set. In addition, the MRI-endoscopy fusion model outperformed the single-modal MRI model (AUC: 0.692 [95% CI: 0.609-0.783], accuracy: 0.659 [95% CI: 0.565-0.775]) and the single-modal endoscopy model (AUC: 0.720 [95% CI: 0.617-0.823], accuracy: 0.713 [95% CI: 0.612-0.809]) in the external test set. CONCLUSION The MRI-endoscopy fusion model based on ResNet-Vision Transformer achieved favorable performance in predicting treatment response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and holds tremendous potential for enabling personalized treatment regimens for locally advanced rectal cancer patients.
Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy/methods* ; Aged ; Adult ; Chemoradiotherapy/methods* ; Endoscopy/methods* ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To explore the effectiveness of an integrated laparoscopic simulation training course (best essential surgical technique training, BEST) in enhancing laparoscopic peritoneal suturing techniques in surgical residents.Methods As an integrated two-stage program, the BEST course applied basic laparoscopic training system with simple molds in phase Ⅰ training, and then adopted advanced laparoscopic training system, 3D Laparoscope and ex-vivo animal models in phase Ⅱ training. The laparoscopic suturing techniques were practiced in phase Ⅱ training. From August 2021 to July 2024, surgical residents in the second year of the national standardized training program were divided into pilot and control groups based on whether they had undergone the BEST course. Two cases of laparoscopic peritoneal suture were performed by the surgical residents under supervision in the department of gastrointestinal surgery. The operative time, quality of suture, and independent completion rate were compared between the two groups.Results A total of 33 surgical residents (19 in pilot group and 14 in control group) were included in this study, and a total of 66 cases of laparoscopic peritoneal suture were performed (38 in pilot group and 28 in control group). The operative time was significantly shorter in pilot group than that in control group (15.7 min vs. 17.5 min, P=0.025). The quality of suture was significantly better in pilot group compared to control group (P=0.023). In pilot group, all peritoneal sutures were performed by residents independently, whereas in control group, 3 cases (10.7%) were assisted by the supervisor, and the independent completion rate was different significantly (P=0.039).Conclusions The BEST course can help improve surgical residents′ laparoscopic peritoneal suturing techniques and could be promoted in the national standardized training program for surgical residents.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are widely acknowledged as primary mediators to the initiation and progression of tumors. The association between microbial infection and cancer stemness has garnered considerable scholarly interest in recent years. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is increasingly considered to be closely related to the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Nevertheless, the role of P. gingivalis in the stemness of OSCC cells remains uncertain. Herein, we showed that P. gingivalis was positively correlated with CSC markers expression in human OSCC specimens, promoted the stemness and tumorigenicity of OSCC cells, and enhanced tumor formation in nude mice. Mechanistically, P. gingivalis increased lipid synthesis in OSCC cells by upregulating the expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) expression, a key enzyme involved in lipid metabolism, which ultimately resulted in enhanced acquisition of stemness. Moreover, SCD1 suppression attenuated P. gingivalis-induced stemness of OSCC cells, including CSCs markers expression, sphere formation ability, chemoresistance, and tumor growth, in OSCC cells both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, upregulation of SCD1 in P. gingivalis-infected OSCC cells was associated with the expression of KLF5, and that was modulated by P. gingivalis-activated NOD1 signaling. Taken together, these findings highlight the importance of SCD1-dependent lipid synthesis in P. gingivalis-induced stemness acquisition in OSCC cells, suggest that the NOD1/KLF5 axis may play a key role in regulating SCD1 expression and provide a molecular basis for targeting SCD1 as a new option for attenuating OSCC cells stemness.
Porphyromonas gingivalis/pathogenicity* ; Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase/metabolism* ; Humans ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology* ; Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Animals ; Neoplastic Stem Cells/microbiology* ; Mice, Nude ; Mice ; Nod1 Signaling Adaptor Protein/metabolism* ; Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor

OBJECTIVE: To review the clinical applications of functional perforator flaps in restoring human body functions. METHODS: An extensive literature review was conducted on both domestic and international publications to summarize the clinical use of functional perforator flaps for functional restoration. RESULTS: Perforator flaps are among the most commonly used flaps in reconstructive surgery. Beyond providing soft tissue repair, they are increasingly employed to reconstruct diverse bodily functions, leading us to propose the concept of the "functional perforator flap". Although various forms of functional perforator flaps are currently utilized, reports are predominantly scattered case studies, lacking systematic organization. Commonly used functional perforator flaps can be categorized into five types: chimeric perforator flaps, perforator flaps for nerve function restoration, perforator flaps for lymphatic drainage enhancement, flow-through perforator flaps, and perforator flaps for restoring bone and joint motion. These flaps significantly broaden the application scope of perforator flaps, elevating the goal of reconstruction from mere wound repair to achieving repair concurrent with functional reconstruction. CONCLUSION The application of various functional perforator flap designs significantly improves wound reconstruction outcomes and represents an effective approach for managing complex defects. Future developments will undoubtedly see more forms of functional perforator flaps reported to meet increasingly sophisticated reconstructive demands.
Humans ; Perforator Flap/blood supply* ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Skin Transplantation/methods* ; Wound Healing

Currently, the performance of D2 lymphadenectomy for locally advanced gastric cancer (LAGC) has become an established therapeutic consensus. The accumulating evidence supporting the application of laparoscopic techniques in such procedures signifies the transition of laparoscopic radical gastrectomy from an exploratory phase into mature clinical practice, with the surgical volume showing a yearly increasing trend. Alongside advancements in imaging equipment, innovations in surgical instrument, and updates in therapeutic concepts, surgeons are placing increasing emphasis on the radicality of the operation, the quality of lymph node dissection, and perioperative safety. Lymph node dissection in the supra-pancreatic area along the celiac arterial system constitutes a critical step in radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Supra-pancreatic area serves not only as a major lymphatic drainage hub for the stomach but also presents significant surgical challenges due to its complex anatomy, difficult exposure, high risk of bleeding, and injury to vital structures traversing the area. Therefore, how to effectively reduce the difficulty for the assistant to expose, optimize the surgeon's control over the anatomical planes in this region, achieve more refined maneuvers, and consequently reduce bleeding, lower complication rates, and shorten operative time are core issues currently concerning surgeons. This article, based on author's clinical experience, aims to provide an in-depth discussion on the strategies for supra-pancreatic lymph node dissection in laparoscopic gastric cancer surgery.

Gastric cancer and esophageal cancer are the top ranked malignant tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract in China, and the incidence of adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (AEG) has been on the rise in recent years. Currently, surgery is the main treatment strategy for AEG, but the surgical approach and the path of digestive tract reconstruction are still contro-versial. The digestive tract reconstruction after AEG surgery include traditional total gastrectomy + Roux-en-Y reconstruction or proximal gastrectomy + esophageal gastric-tube reconstruction/double-tract reconstruction/double-flap technique reconstruction. With the development of surgery, esophageal gastric-tube reconstruction has become a common digestive tract reconstruction modality after AEG compared with traditional esophagojejunal reconstruction of total gastrectomy, which can reduce the incidence of postoperative complications such as anastomotic leakage, reflux esophagitis, anasto-motic stricture, and patients' malnutrition in the long term. In order to further reduce postoperative complications, the application of new techniques and improvement of surgical methods have become the focus of research in recent years. The authors review the history of the development of esopha-geal gastric-tube reconstruction and provides an overview of the current status of esophageal gastric-tube reconstruction, reconstruction pathway, anastomotic position and modality, and research on the reduction of postoperative complications.

Objective:To explore the prognosis after radical resection for stage Ⅰ gastric cancer and the application value of adjuvant chemotherapy.Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 3 353 patients with stage Ⅰ gastric cancer who were admitted to Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from January 2000 to December 2022 were collected. There were 2 369 males and 984 females, aged 60(range, 21-91) years. All patients underwent radical R 0 resection. Observation indicators: (1) clinicopathological characteristics of patients; (2) influencing factors for postoperative prognosis of patients; (3) prognostic analysis of patients; (4) construction and validation of a predictive model for the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Comparison of count data between groups was conducted using the chi-square test. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rates and draw survival curves, and the Log-rank test was used for survival analysis. Based on the multivariate analysis result, a nomogram prediction model was constructed to predict survival benefit. Results:(1) Clinicopatho-logical characteristics of patients. The highly, moderately, and poorly differentiated tumors were observed in 16, 234, 396 cases of 646 patients aged <50 years and 279, 1 617, 811 cases of 2 707 pati-ents aged ≥50 years, respectively, showing a significant difference in degree of tumor differentiation between them ( P<0.05). For 297 patients in stage T1N1M0, cases aged <50 years and ≥50 years were 71 and 226, cases of males and females were 184 and 113, cases with negative and positive vascular invasion were 37 and 260, cases with negative and positive nerve invasion were 275 and 22, cases without and with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy were 222 and 75, respectively. The above indicators for 678 patients in stage T2N0M0 105, 573, 533, 145, 517, 161, 526, 152, 563, 115, respectively. There were significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( P<0.05). (2) Influencing factors for postoperative prognosis of patients. Results of multivariate analysis showed that age ≥50 years, stage T2, moderately differentiated tumor, the number of lymph nodes dissected <16, positive vascular invasion, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) ≥5 μg/L, and CA19-9 ≥37 U/mL were independent risk factors for disease-free survival (DFS) after surgery for stage Ⅰ gastric cancer ( hazard ratio=4.600, 1.555, 1.835, 1.362, 1.451, 1.571, 2.134, 95% confidence interval as 2.806-7.541, 1.205-2.006, 1.016-3.314, 1.059-1.753, 1.057-1.993, 1.100-2.243, 1.257-3.625, P<0.05). Age ≥50 years, stage T2, the number of lymph nodes dissected <16, positive vascular invasion, CEA ≥5 μg/L, and CA19-9 ≥37 U/mL were independent risk factors for overall survival (OS) after surgery for stage Ⅰ gastric cancer ( hazard ratio=5.208, 1.597, 1.373, 1.520, 1.464, 2.356, 95% confidence interval as 3.028-8.955, 1.231-2.072, 1.060-1.777, 1.099-2.104, 1.004-2.134, 1.385-4.009, P<0.05). Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy was an independent protective factor for both DFS and OS after surgery for stage I gastric cancer ( hazard ratio=0.361 0.297, 95% confidence interval as 0.177-0.736, 0.131-0.674, P<0.05). (3) Prognostic analysis of patients. According to the results of multi-variate analysis, among 3 353 patients, there were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients aged <50 years and ≥50 years ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate among patients in TNM stage ⅠA and ⅠB ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate among patients in stage T1N0M0, T1N1M0, T2N0M0 ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate among patients with the highly, moderately, and poorly differentiated tumors ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate among patients with the number of lymph lodes dissected <16 and ≥16 ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients with negative and positive vascular invasion ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients with and without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P<0.05), among patients in stage T1N0M0, T1N1M0, T2N0M0 who received no postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P<0.05). For patients in stage T1N1M0, there was no significant difference in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients with and without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P>0.05).Results of stratified analysis showed that for patients aged ≥ 50 years, there were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients with and without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P<0.05). For patients in stage T2N0M0, there were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients with and without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P<0.05). For patients with positive vascular invasion, there were significant differences in 5-year DFS rate and 10-year OS rate between patients with and without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy ( P<0.05). (4) Construction and validation of a predictive model for the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy. A nomogram predictive model was constructed based on the multivariate analysis results of OS and used for calculating net benefits and distribution. Among the 3 096 patients without postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, 1 009 cases had a predicted net benefit of >5%-10%, and 250 patients had a predicted net benefit >10%. The predicted survival analysis further verified that the predicted benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy was consistent with the prognosis of patients. Conclusions:Patients with age ≥50 years, stage T2 tumors, moderately differentiated tumor, the number of lymph nodes dissected <16, positive vascular invasion have worse survival prognosis postoperative. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy provides better prognosis in high-risk patients. Patients in stage T1N1M0 have lower recurrence and survival risks, of whom with 1 metastatic lymph node is more suitable for follow-up rather than postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.

Objective:To compare the efficacy of body posture combined with pharmacotherapy and pharmacotherapy alone in the treatment of chronic subdural hematoma(CSDH).Methods:Firstly, retrospective case series study was conducted. Thirty cases of CSDH that had received body posture combined with pharmacotherapy at Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University from December 2016 to October 2020 were studied retrospectively. Twenty-seven patients were male, and 3 patients were female. The age of patients ( M(IQR)) was 66(16) years (range:28 to 84). Nineteen patients had unilateral hematoma, and 11 patients had bilateral hematoma. All patients received pharmacotherapy and body posture therapy that was to raise their lower limbs 20 to 30 cm with leg lift pad and get abdominal compressed with customized abdominal belt in supine position. Patients were required to maintain the body posture as much as possible, with the maximum to 16 to 18 hours per day. Patients with unilateral hematoma should tilt the head to the affected side and avoid tilting it to the opposite side. For patients with bilateral hematoma, there was no need for head lateralization. Patient were treated with oral dexamethasone and atorvastatin simultaneously. The preliminary efficacy of body posture combined with pharmacotherapy was determined by hematoma improvement rate which was analyzed by Clopper-Pearson method. Then, the multi-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial had carried out in 9 medical centers from August 2020 to November 2021. The stratified block randomization method was adopted. Patients were randomized in a ratio of 1∶1 to either receive pharmacotherapy alone(the control group) or body posture combined with pharmacotherapy(the experiment group) for 3 months and followed up for 6 months. Effective treatment was defined as complete absorption of hematoma, or the hematoma volume decreased by more than 10 ml and Markwalder grading scale score had improved by more than 1 point compared to the baseline. The efficacy rate and surgery conversion rate at 3 months and recurrence at 6 months were observed. Comparison between groups was performed with paired sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test, corrected χ2 test, or Fisher exact probability method. Logistic regression was used to compare the effective rate and operation rate between the two groups. Results:In the respective study, 30 patients completed follow-up 13 to 353 days after treatment. At the last follow-up, the incidence of almost complete absorption or significantly absorption of hematoma (hematoma volume was significantly reduced accompanied by symptom improvement) was 93.3%. The 95% CI for the incidence that analyzed by the Clopper-Pearson method was 77.9% to 99.2%. One hundred and six patients were enrolled in the multicenter study. Fifty-five patients underwent body posture combined with pharmacotherapy. The age was 74(17) years (range:26 to 92). Thirty-nine patients were males and 16 were females. Fifty-one patients underwent pharmacotherapy alone. The age was 69(12) years (range:48 to 84). Thirty-seven patients were males and 14 were females. The length of body posture recorded in diary card was (15.7±2.3) hours(range:7.6 to 19.3 hours). The efficacy rate in the body posture combined with pharmacotherapy group and pharmacotherapy alone group were 83.6% (46/55) and 56.9% (29/51), respectively at 3 months. The result of the logistic regression analysis showed that the efficacy of body posture combined with pharmacotherapy group was better than that of pharmacotherapy alone group ( OR=3.88,95% CI:1.57 to 9.58, P=0.003). Surgery rate in the body posture combined with pharmacotherapy group and pharmacotherapy alone group were 5.5% (3/55) and 21.6% (11/51) respectively. The result of Logistic regression showed that the pharmacotherapy alone group was more likely to be converted to surgery ( OR=0.21,95% CI:0.05 to 0.80, P=0.023). At the 6 months, no recurrence of cases was found in the body posture combined with pharmacotherapy group. However, the recurrence rate of pharmacotherapy alone group was 6.3% (3/48), there was no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion:The effect of body posture combined with pharmacotherapy for chronic subdural hematoma is better than that of pharmacotherapy alone.

Objective:To explore the risk factors for severe acute kidney injury (AKI) in children with sepsis in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and construct a prediction model to assist early clinical identification.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on clinical data of 987 children with sepsis admitted to the PICU of Hunan Children′s Hospital from July 1, 2018 to January 31, 2021. Children who developed severe AKI during hospitalization were included in the AKI stage 2-3 group ( n=228), and the remaining were included in the No-AKI/AKI stage 1 group ( n=759). General information and biochemical indicators were compared between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for severe AKI in children with sepsis, and a prediction model and nomogram were established. Results:The mortality rate in the AKI stage 2-3 group was 2.49 times that of the No-AKI/AKI stage 1 group [31.1%(71/228) vs 12.5%(95/759), P<0.05]. Compared with the No-AKI/AKI stage 1 group, the AKI stage 2-3 group had lower levels of platelet count (PLT), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), antithrombin Ⅲ (AT3), and fibrinogen (FIB), but higher levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum creatinine (SCr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), magnesium ion (Mg 2+ ), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), and D-dimer (D-D) (all P<0.05), with no significant difference in total bile acid (TBAC) ( P>0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that decreased AT3 ( OR=0.989, 95% CI: 0.980-0.997, P=0.007), increased LDH ( OR=1.001, 95% CI: 1.000-1.001, P<0.001), increased SCr ( OR=1.051, 95% CI: 1.037-1.066, P<0.001), and increased BUN ( OR=1.099, 95% CI: 1.028-1.174, P=0.005) were risk factors for severe AKI in children with sepsis. The prediction model was Logist Pr=-3.184-0.012 X1+ 0.001 X2+ 0.050 X3+ 0.094 X4 ( X1=AT3, X2=LDH, X3=SCr, X4=BUN), with the optimal cut-off value of 0.374 (Youden index=0.560). A nomogram was constructed by binary assignment of predictive variables, with an area under the curve of 0.826 (95% CI: 0.790-0.861, P<0.001). Conclusions:The mortality rate of septic children with severe AKI in PICU is significantly increased. Decreased AT3, and increased LDH, SCr, and BUN are risk factors for severe AKI in children with sepsis. Clinicians should be alert to severe AKI when the predicted probability of the early warning model exceeds 0.374.

Objective:To explore the short-term clinical effects of deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomosis in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).Methods:A prospective exploratory study was conducted on the treatment of AD patients using the cervical deep lymph node-venous anastomosis technique in Scar and Wound Treatment Department, Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from September to October 2024. The patients underwent high-frequency ultrasound to locate deep cervical lymph nodes and the external jugular vein. Under general anesthesia, bilateral deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomoses were performed. Indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography was conducted via subcutaneous injection behind the ear to visualize lymph nodes in levels Ⅱ and Ⅲ. After making a skin incision along the posterior margin of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the external jugular vein, internal jugular veins, and associated lymph nodes were exposed. Adjacent veins were selected for anastomosis of lymph node. Using microsurgical techniques, end-to-side or end-to-end anastomosis was completed for lymph nodes in levels Ⅱ and Ⅲ. Preoperative assessments included the mini-mental state examination (MMSE, a higher score indicates better cognitive function), Alzheimer’s disease assessment scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog, a higher score indicates greater impairment of cognitive function), Alzheimer’s disease cooperative study scale for activities of daily living (ADCS-ADL, a higher score indicates better ability to perform daily activity), and neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI, a higher score indicates more severe behavioral and emotional symptom). Postoperative follow-up included the same scales to observe changes in cognitive function, activities of daily living, and emotional communication.Results:Four patients (1 male, 3 females, aged 58-79 years) with AD were included. All were diagnosed based on cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers. All patients successfully underwent bilateral deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomoses. On average, 4.3 (2-7 per person) anastomoses were performed per patient. Surgical procedures lasted an average of 6.5 h (5.5-8.5 h) with minimal blood loss (less than 50 ml). Patients resumed normal activity within 6 hours postoperatively and were discharged after an average of 4.1 d (3.5-5.0 d). Postoperative complications included one case each of aspiration pneumonia, lower limb venous thrombosis, and transient delirium, all of whom resolved without long-term effects. Clinical symptoms, including memory decline, mood swings, and anxiety, showed varying degrees of improvement. Patients reported enhanced quality of life, emotional stability, and social engagement, confirming the procedure’s safety and potential cognitive benefits. At one month postoperatively, the MMSE scores of the four patients increased by an average of 0.8 points compared to preoperative levels. Additionally, the two patients who completed the ADAS-Cog assessments showed a decrease in their scores (reduced by 1.0 points and 11.3 points, respectively, compared to preoperative scores), indicating a certain degree of improvement in cognitive function during this period. The ADCS-ADL and NPI scores of four patients varied significantly, without showing any clear pattern.Conclusion:Lymphovenous anastomosis of the deep cervical lymph node-venous anastomosis may provide a new surgical intervention approach for AD, but further large-scale studies and long-term follow-up are needed to validate its safety and effectiveness.